Issue 341 of Passenger Transport is published on July 11. Contents include: LEAD STORY Free buses in return for c-charge in Oxford? Key transport organisations across the city have united in support of Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed £5 daily congestion charge £5 daily congestion charge NEWS NAO...
Key transport organisations across the city have united in support of Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed £5 daily congestion charge £5 daily congestion charge Broad coalition of organisations are backing the proposal Making Oxford’s park and ride buses free to use could become a reality if plans for a...
Despite significant bus investment in recent years, a new report by the National Audit Office calls for better strategy and targeted funding Report noted that bus franchising is complex and costly The Department for Transport must deliver clearer strategic direction and cohesive funding if local transport authorities in...
In the 1980s, France’s TGV high speed train revolution left the UK well behind. Is the same now happening on local transport? Orléans is an example of what a public transport system can do in a small city Paris in the springtime but today we have given...
If you put the right level of resource behind social media, it can be game-changing, but if you get it wrong it’s best not to bother As part of my role, I do social media training for transport companies and detailed reviews of their approach and strategy ...
Germany’s second largest city is a showcase for innovation in transport policy, with ambitious targets to grow public transport Hamburg has an extensive U-Bahn network of four lines with 93 station The UITP Summit was held in Hamburg, Germany in mid-June 2025. Hamburg held the very first...
The evidence suggests that open access competition has resulted in cheaper fares and grown the overall market for rail travel, says Andy Comfort Hull Trains will celebrate its 25th birthday later this year At 0614 on the morning of Sunday May 25, the first train to be...
UK Government and Scottish Government are working jointly to explore options to prevent the loss of 400 bus manufacturing jobs in Scotland ADL: This is a challenging time, and we are grateful for the active engagement from the Scottish and UK Governments A joint working group has been established by the UK Government...
More than 10,000 public transport professionals gathered in Hamburg last week for the UITP Summit – an event which is set to become annual UITP president Renée Amilcar in Hamburg last week “Public transport is not just a mobility solution in our cities – it’s a climate solution.” That was the message from...
Transport for Wales confirms contracts will be structures in a way that protects and encourages greater involvement from the SME sector TfW envisages a ‘different playing fields’ approach to bus franchising Bus franchising contracts in Wales could be as small as two vehicles to ensure accessibility for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the...
What’s been going well in public transport in 2025 and where is greater attention required? It’s time for my half-term report Over the last month, I’ve made twice-weekly trips with Avanti and each time the service just gets better and better It’s hard to believe midsummer’s night has been and gone and...
Sing Alleluia and let the word go forth: white smoke has billowed from the chimney atop Number 11 – we have a Spending Review The chancellor at Taff’s Well Rail Depot (image: Kirsty O’Connor / Treasury) Among the bountiful gifts bestowed by the Chancellor are a four-year funding settlement to underpin England’s...
Why do so many of our public sector projects end up massively expensive, heavily over budget, late to be delivered, and faulty? HS2 will not be a particularly attractive journey, as most of the line will be in tunnels or cuttings How much does a door cost? Well if it’s replacement one...
Chancellor announces £15.6bn of funding for local transport projects in England’s city regions, £2.3bn for other areas and extends £3 bus fare cap Rachel Reeves during her visit to Mellor This month’s Comprehensive Spending Review contained positive outcomes for the public transport sector. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £15.6bn of funding by 2031-32 for...
Louise Cheeseman, former TfL director of buses, warns of lack of expertise while others say public expectation levels are high for franchising schemes Cheeseman: ‘My worry for bus reform going forward is lack of expertise’ Governments may have raised public expectations too high in their messaging on franchising and new municipal bus operators,...
How well does public transport understand its existing and potential customers, and the societal trends that influence them? There has been a greater post-Covid recovery in women travelling by bus than men “Time is the most precious resource any of us has,” Marc Winsland remarked in his excellent article in the last...
As I bid farewell to the Bee Network and its striking yellow buses, I do so with immense pride. It’s a model that others can follow The Bee Network Bus franchising is a transformative approach to public transport management, granting local authorities the ability to regulate service quality, fares, and network integration....
We might not have all the pieces, but we have enough to make a very good start. Let’s begin transforming the UK rail industry If you’re the sort of person who plunges into a jigsaw puzzle without consulting the picture on the box first, you’ll know how hard it can be. You tip...
Collaboration with CitySwift has been a win for passengers, operators and Transport for London London’s buses carry around 1.8 billion passenger journeys each year London’s bus network is one of the largest and most mature in the world, with nearly 9,000 vehicles operating across over 600 routes. These buses collectively carry around 1.8...
Avanti and ALBUM shine in my report